Executive Board Caucus Report Highlights — Aug. 18, 2011
Each month, we post the updates from the state and provincial caucus reports…
Idaho:
Solar street creds
The Federal Highway Administration has awarded Sagle, Idaho-based Solar Roadways Inc. a $750,000 contract for the second phase of a project that could integrate solar energy as the nation’s crumbling roadways are repaired. The company would build “Solar Roadways” from structurally engineered solar panels that vehicles drive over. The Solar Road Panels contain LED lights to illuminate road lines from underneath, as well as a heating element to prevent snow or ice accumulation in cold weather.
Phase II of the project will focus on using the technologies for parking lots, driveways and other surfaces. The prototype solar parking lot is designed to lay the groundwork for eventually installing the panels into roadways. For more information about Solar Roadways, go to www.solarroadways.com.
For more information on the Idaho Caucus report,
contact Ken Miller: kmiller (at) snakeriveralliance (dot) org
Montana:
Test drilling begins at massive new coal mine near Stanford
American Power Corp. announced that test drilling has begun on its Pace Coal Project, which encompasses about 29,000 acres in Judith Basin County. The Pace Project is limited to mining. The company says it could extract more than 410 million tons of coal from the site – enough, for example, to fuel a 1,400 MW coal plant for 80 years. Many suspect that the project is geared toward exports of U.S. coal to Asia via highly controversial facilities proposed in Oregon and Washington state.
For more information on the Montana Caucus report,
contact Kyla Wiens: kwiens (at) meic.org
Oregon:
PacifiCorp plan draws cross-regional attention
The NW Energy Coalition is working with Oregon allies and with public-interest forces in Rocky Mountain states on PacifiCorp’s latest integrated resources plan. Of particular interest to clean energy advocates are future of the multi-state utility’s fleet of coal plants and related transmission proposals.
Report from Coalition staff
For more information on the Oregon caucus report,
contact Wendy Gerlitz: wendy (at) nwenergy (dot) org
Washington:
PSE seeking new resources
Puget Sound Energy has filed a draft request for proposals to meet the utility’s projected need for 385 megawatts of capacity (peaking resources) generation in 2012 and beyond. The all-source RFP is exclusive of its energy efficiency plans. The company does not need energy resources except to meet its renewable energy requirements from the state’s Clean Energy Initiative 937 in 2020.
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission will take public comments on Puget’s draft RFP through Sept. 30. The company also said it would need a total of 713 MW of capacity generation in 2015.
Report from Coalition staff
For more information on the Washington caucus report,
contact Lynne Dial: lynne (at) nwenergy (dot) org